Summery: Drizzt falls victim to a mysterious illness...but not all is
nearly what it seems. (AU)

Author's Note: This fic is completely AU and ignores "The Hunter's Blades"
Trilogy. It also holds reference to "The War of the Spider Queen" series.
I've been told that the idea for this story is completely off the wall, but
hey, that certainly never stopped me before. :)

******

Unexpected Illness

Drizzt jerked awake with a gasping cry, shooting upright in his bed.
For a long moment he simply sat there staring into the room's darkness with
wide eyes. Slowly Drizzt's racing heart calmed to its normal rhythm and he
swallowed, glancing around, taking in the familiar and comforting sight of
his room within
Mithril Hall. With a sigh Drizzt ran his hands through his thick white mane
and turned his thoughts away from the now distant and fuzzy dream that had
managed to disturb his normally peaceful sleep.

Shaking his head the dark elf threw back his covers and moved to leave his
bed. A sudden and unexpected wave of nausea stopped him from standing
though, and left him swallowing hard to keep from throwing up. Just as
quickly as it came it was gone and Drizzt shook his head assuming that his
*night terror had upset him more then he first thought. Walking towards the
dressing shelves kept on one side of his room he started to get changed
when he was hit with another wave of nausea and before he could even begin
to fight it back he found himself retching helplessly into the chamber pot
located in one corner of the room. When he was sure he had finished Drizzt
stood shakily, whipping at his mouth with a grimace. What had brought that
one on, he wondered. He waited to see if his suddenly rebelling stomach had
truly settled this time before moving to the washing basin perched on the
rooms only desk.

Drizzt splashed his face with water then just stood there leaning forward
against the desk, still feeling a tad weak in the knees. A simple square
mirror hung on the wall above the desk and Drizzt glanced up into it
thoughtfully, gazing into his own bright red eyes. With a sigh he started
to turn away...then froze suddenly and frowned before looking back into the
mirror sharply.
He leaned in close to get a better look. Violet. His eyes were the same
shade of purple they had always been. He blinked pulling back. Why had he
thought he'd seen red, what was going on with him this morning.

As if in cruel reminder of his problems yet another wave of nausea hit him
and this time he barely made it to the pot before he was forced to throw up
again.

******

Catti-brie had only barely exited her own room when she heard the sound of
Drizzt's "activities". Not seeing anyone in the hall that could be
supplying the noise Catti followed it and frowned when she stopped at
Drizzt's door and realized that it was indeed coming from within.

Placing one hand on the doorknob she knocked lightly, "Drizzt?" she called,
"Drizzt? Ye alright?"

The answer was slow in coming and when it did it was weak and unsteady,
"Fine...I'm fine..."

'Oh I just be knowin ye are,' she thought to herself sarcastically before
pushing the door open and glancing inside. She immediately spotted the
Drow's form crouched in the corner, trembling arms propped against the
walls to keep him upright as he leaned over the rooms chamber pot. His
shoulders heaved slightly but he no longer had anything to bring up.

Catti rushed to kneel at his side, one hand rubbing circles on his back,
"Are ye ok? What be bringing this on?"

Drizzt shook his head, "I don't know...I was feeling fine before...but
now..." he was interrupted by more dry heaving.

Catti nodded in understanding but frowned in concern as she felt the slight
heat radiating through his nightshirt. When Drizzt was able to relax again
she reached forward to press her palm against his forehead and recoiled
sharply at the intense heat, "By the gods, ye be burnin up!"

Drizzt was confused by this, he certainly didn't feel feverish, indeed
quite the opposite. **He suffered from no chills but instead felt too warm
which made little sense if what she said was the truth.

The door suddenly pushed open farther to reveal Wulfgar standing in the
doorway, "I could hear all the way down the hall, what's going on?"

"Drizzt be gettin really sick! Go fetch Stumpet!" Catti instructed
urgently, still absently rubbing the hand she had taken Drizzt's
temperature with, the heat of it truly scared her.

Wulfgar's eyes widened as he saw the naked fear on her face and he spun
away to do as he was told.

For Drizzt it felt as if he was being slowly baked in a furnace, the heat
he felt becoming stifling and sweat broke out on his forehead and rolled
down the back of his neck. Catti could only watch in horror as his
breathing turned into labored gasps.

When Stumpet arrived on the scene Drizzt's arms had given out and he was
kept sitting upright only by Catti's arms, which supported his shoulders.
His head and lolled forward slightly but his eyes were still clear.

The dwarven priestess kneeled on the Drow's other side and put a hand to
his forehead. A worried frown immediately formed on her face and panic
entered her eyes. She urgently lifted his chin peering into his eyes,
"Drizzt?" she called. Drizzt's eyes were closed and she shook him slightly,
"Open your eyes Drizzt, I need ye to look at me."

Drizzt groaned but did as he was ordered, focusing on the worried dwarf's
face wearily. She nodded with approval and continued her check of him. She
noticed with concern the sweat already visibly soaking through his shirt
and became greatly alarmed when his fever seemed to grow even as she felt
him. He was already so hot she was surprised to find him lucid, he had to
have a temp of at least 107. Drizzt's head drooped again and she cupped his
face lifting it again, "Drizzt? Do ye know where ye are?" she asked.

Drizzt frowned, why was she asking that? He blinked and nodded.

Stumpet smiled but shook her head, "I know ye're not feeling well but I
need an actual response ok?"

Drizzt swallowed against the heated dryness of his throat, "My room,
Mithril Hall." he managed.

She nodded, "Good, and do ye know who I am?"

His face crinkled in confusion, "Stumpet...why are you...?"

Stumpet shook her head, shushing him, "Ye have a very, very high fever
Drizzt, it's very bad, I just need ye to stay with me ok?" she paused when
she noticed Drizzt seem to fade a bit, "Drizzt?"

Both Catti and Stumpet gave alarmed cries as Drizzt's eyes rolled back
abruptly and he collapsed against them.

TBC

*******
Read and Review please!!!

*Night Terror = Nightmares that occur during stage 4 sleep that cause
sudden violent awakenings and sometimes even physical sickness; The dreamer
typically does not remember anything of what scared them so badly.

** = People with fevers experience chills because as the heat inside their
body grows the colder the air around them seems.

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